The first of two Millennium airlifters for the Czech Republic on its maiden flight from Embraer’s Gavião Peixoto production facility in southern Brazil. (Embraer)
The first Embraer KC/C-390 Millennium tanker-transport aircraft for the Czech Republic made its maiden flight on 19 May 2026.
The manufacturer announced the milestone which took place at the company’s Gavião Peixoto production facility, near Sao Paulo in southern Brazil.
The maiden flight of the first KC/C-390 for the Czech Republic came some 19 months after the eastern European NATO member signed for two airlifters in October 2024.
Delivery to the Czech Air Force is expected to take place later in 2026, at which time the KC/C-390 will be used for missions such as air transport, air assault operations, aerial resupply, medical evacuation, humanitarian aid, air-to-air refuelling, and firefighting. The two new aircraft will add to the six Airbus C295M/MW and five Let L-410 Turbolet tactical airlifters owned and operated by the Army of the Czech Republic, as well as the NATO Strategic Airlift International Solution (SALIS)- and European Union (EU)/NATO Multinational Multirole Tanker Transport Fleet (MMF)-leased transport programmes.
The Millennium has a hold volume of 170 m³ (including the ramp), and a maximum payload of 23 tonnes (or a concentrated maximum payload of 26 tonnes over the centre of gravity). Company-released performance specifications give the aircraft a maximum cruise speed of 470 kt (870 km/h); a maximum altitude of 36,000 ft; and a range (with 23 tonnes of payload) of 1,380 n miles (2,556 km) or a ferry flight with internal fuel tanks of 4,640 n miles. The range can be extended by in-flight refuelling.
For more, please see Czechs finalise KC/C-390 buy
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